A Fated Entanglement He Couldn't Escape, First Battle in the Entrance Assessment

While traveling, Beibei and Tang Ya also introduced Huo Yuhao to the things he needed to know about Shrek Academy. Naturally, it all revolved around Tang San as the center, with rainbow-colored flattery blown at full radius.

However, Huo Yuhao roughly learned that the current Shrek Academy had not changed due to strange theories like the Butterfly Effect or quantum mechanics because of his transmigration.

It had not deviated from the original plot. The current Shrek Academy was still the Shrek Academy from the original work.

Thankfully. If some earth-shattering change had really happened, I'd have to reconsider where to go from here. This is enough for now. First, I need to build up my strength and get through this most helpless period.

At last, Huo Yuhao and the others arrived at Shrek City. They entered through the East Gate, and Shrek Academy was not far ahead.

Looking at this fairly sizable city, Huo Yuhao did not feel particularly excited. After all, unlike the original owner of this body, who had never left that tiny patch of land known as the White Tiger Duke's Mansion—

He had transmigrated here. As a college student, he had taken high-speed rail and planes across vast distances to attend school before. At most, Shrek City could be considered a third-tier city.

And not a particularly developed one at that. Aside from the city walls, which were used to defend against Beast Tides and were somewhat worth looking at, its so-called prosperity was nothing special in Huo Yuhao's eyes.

We're finally here, but... Huo Yuhao looked around. Compared to the unremarkable buildings and street vendors, he was more interested in the people within the city.

After all, it had been difficult to see so many people while traveling. Once he activated the Eye of Truth, Huo Yuhao could clearly see the flow of Soul Power within every person, as well as the faint Martial Soul images taking shape inside them.

If I want to research Martial Souls in the future, I should still visit places with lots of people. It seems that differences in Soul Power affect Martial Souls differently. Tang Ya and Beibei have similar Soul Power, so I couldn't tell before.

My own Martial Soul mutated because of my transmigration, so I can't use it as a standard. But there are quite a few differences between these ordinary civilians without Soul Power and Soul Masters with even just one soul ring.

The higher the Soul Power, the more solid and complex the Martial Soul image becomes? And those lines and patterns that outline and form the Martial Soul—what do they represent? I don't have the chance now, but I can try looking into it later.

"Little Yuhao, what are you looking at? Did Shrek City's bustle dazzle you? Come on, come on, it's time for us to register." Tang Ya spoke with a cheerful smile.

"Um, Teacher Little Ya, could I stay in the city for a little longer? I want to become proficient in the Tang Sect's cultivation methods before registering."

"That way, perhaps I can enter through a recommendation from the Tang Sect instead of using one of the Tang Sect's special admission slots."

"Then, even if my Soul Power is relatively weak after I enroll, the other students probably won't gossip about it. And even if I fail, I can still enter through the Tang Sect's original referral slot."

Hearing this, Tang Ya glanced at Beibei. Beibei smiled and nodded. "During this period, Little Junior Brother's mastery of our Tang Sect's secret arts has advanced by leaps and bounds."

"And it's even better that Little Junior Brother has such determination. The growth of the strong always requires tempering."

"Senior Brother believes in you. Teacher Little Ya, I'll first take Yuhao to rent a room at an inn in the city."

"With Little Junior Brother's mastery of the Tang Sect's secret arts, combined with his Martial Soul's perception, he should pass the assessment easily as long as he has some hidden weapons."

Tang Ya nodded at this and patted her chest in assurance. "Leave the hidden weapons to me! Little Yuhao, practice the Hundred Solutions of Hidden Weapons over the next few days. Then show off your skills in the entrance assessment! Let everyone know how formidable our Tang Sect is!"

Beibei was also very confident in Huo Yuhao. No matter what, hidden weapons still held a considerable advantage at the one-ring and two-ring stages, and Huo Yuhao's perception made them even more effective.

Although Huo Yuhao's Soul Power was not strong, with hidden weapons permitted during the assessment, his destructive power would not be inferior to that of an ordinary two-ring Soul Grandmaster.

That was why Beibei was comfortable letting Huo Yuhao participate. Otherwise, if Huo Yuhao were truly too weak and embarrassed himself, then even if he could still join through the Tang Sect's referral slot afterward, it would only give people more to gossip about.

Huo Yuhao followed Beibei into the city and rented a room at an inn. At the same time, Beibei gave Huo Yuhao some Gold Soul Coins for living expenses.

"Little Junior Brother, I still need to return to Shrek Academy first to report on matters related to my previous trip outside. Once I've handled things at the academy, I'll come find you."

"Take this money for now and buy yourself some daily necessities. It'll also help you prepare for enrollment," Beibei said with a smile.

After all, when Huo Yuhao had told them to put away the Mandala Snake's corpse earlier, he had already hinted at his new little junior brother's impoverished circumstances. Since he knew about it, as the senior brother, he naturally would not mistreat his little junior brother.

"Alright, Senior Brother. Then I'll go practice the Hundred Solutions of Hidden Weapons first." Huo Yuhao accepted the money pouch as he spoke.

Only after Beibei left and Huo Yuhao returned to his room and shut the door did he finally let out a long breath.

His reason for going through the process before joining Shrek Academy was naturally not to protect the Tang Sect's reputation. It was to delay his enrollment for as long as possible.

After all, he had no desire to become one of the earliest students admitted through the Tang Sect's special channel, only to be assigned to Zhou Yi's class as an unlucky victim.

Although he had prepared himself to accept whatever came, Huo Yuhao had no intention of experiencing the educational principles of the famous teacher Zhou Yi. To him, while he was at his most vulnerable, the most important thing was to avoid drawing attention and quietly develop.

But even if I get through this, I can only stay safe during the first school year. After the Freshman Assessment divides the classes, Zhou Yi will still be in charge of the Control Type and Assault Type classes. What a headache.

Maybe it isn't impossible, though. Although the Support Type isn't much good, if it comes down to it, I can register for the Agility Assault Type instead. Even though the original work talked about class divisions, there wasn't actually much difference.

With that thought, Huo Yuhao felt somewhat reassured. As for cultivating the Tang Sect's secret arts? With the Heavenly Dream Brand Fully Automatic Cultivator, he naturally did not need to cultivate by hand.

Furthermore, Huo Yuhao had already committed the entire Hundred Solutions of Hidden Weapons to memory the first time he obtained it. Through the coordination of his Spiritual Power and the Eye of Truth, although his physical strength was somewhat lacking, handling battles against Soul Masters and Soul Grand Masters would not be a problem.

The entrance assessment lasts three days. With a Tang Sect recommendation, I can directly skip the first stage's recommendation letter and the second stage's Soul Power and age tests.

The third stage checks the Martial Soul's Soul Skill configuration and the ability to control the Martial Soul. With the Tang Sect standing guarantee, that won't be a problem either.

That only leaves the fourth stage, actual combat. It probably won't be too difficult, but I should still prepare. Once Beibei comes back, I'll see if I can exchange a few moves with him and spar a little.

After all, even though I've more or less mastered my Martial Soul since coming to this world, I haven't properly fought anyone in real combat yet.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye. On the second day, Beibei came to find Huo Yuhao at the inn and brought him a new gift from Tang Ya: a batch of basic hidden weapons produced by the Tang Sect.

Moreover, because of Tang San's connection to Shrek Academy, unlike Soul Tools, these mechanical hidden weapons could be used without restriction in all Shrek Academy assessments and competitions.

On the third day, which was also the final day of the entrance assessment, Beibei brought Huo Yuhao to Shrek Academy. With the Tang Sect vouching for him, there was naturally nothing to discuss about the first three stages.

The fourth stage was actual combat, specifically coordinated group combat. Every three people formed a team, and each team was assessed in turn.

Of course, defeating the assessment opponent was not the only way to pass. After all, they were facing their seniors from Shrek Academy.

How could this group of weaklings with only one ring, or two rings at most, possibly accomplish that?

What they had to do was coordinate with one another, make the most of their Martial Souls' advantages, and endure under their senior's attacks—or ensure that their team could endure longer.

Although team assignments were random, they were not entirely random. After all, they could not possibly place three Support Type Soul Masters on the same team.

The longer they held out, or the more outstanding their performance, the higher their final score would naturally be. Only those with sufficiently high combined scores across all four stages could become members of Shrek Academy.

"A Body Martial Soul, but it's just the eyes? And the Soul Skill also leans toward support and agility assault? Understood." A student responsible for registration nodded at Beibei, who had brought Huo Yuhao over. "Senior Brother Beibei, let this little brother come with me."

Beibei nodded, and Huo Yuhao followed the other person. When he saw the people waiting together in the field, especially someone with exceedingly distinctive features, Huo Yuhao vaguely realized that his previous plans might fall through.

Shrek Academy's admission had four stages, and as long as applicants arrived during the recruitment period, they could be tested for the first three stages.

But the fourth stage was different. Aside from certain privileged groups, such as the Tang Sect, the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, or the imperial families of the major empires—forces with deep ties to Shrek—

The fourth-stage assessments for all other students required team formation, so they had all been pushed to the third day.

That fat guy should be Xie Huanyue, right? I can't recognize the others... Wait, that pink-haired one can't be... Forget it. I just hope the heavens bless me and don't put me in Zhou Yi's class.

He activated the Eye of Truth, but only observed the Soul Power of the people around him without conducting any deep examination. After experimenting over the past few days, Huo Yuhao had more or less figured out the cost of activating the Eye of Truth at different levels.

Superficial observation consumed almost no Spiritual Power. Deep observation, however—the more detailed and precise it was, the more Spiritual Power it consumed. The assessment was about to begin, so it was best not to cause unnecessary trouble.

"Numbers one, two, and three, form a group. Meet with your teammates. You have ten minutes to discuss tactics and prepare for the assessment."

"Number thirty-one, Wang Dong. Number thirty-two, Huo Yuhao. Number thirty-three, Zhao Haochen. Form a group. Meet with your teammates. You have ten minutes to discuss tactics and prepare for the assessment."

... Hearing this, Huo Yuhao sighed helplessly inwardly. He could guarantee that Ancestor Tang must be arranging things at this very moment. Otherwise, no coincidence could possibly be this coincidental.

Why did he have to be teamed with Wang Dong? And this young lady Wang Dong could obtain a recommendation letter only because the Clear Sky Sect had arranged it for her. She would not have had the means to get one herself.

Moreover, given the relationship between the Clear Sky Sect and Shrek Academy, did Wang Dong even need to take an entrance assessment? She should have been admitted without testing. Why would she come here and end up on the same team as him?

"You're my teammates for this entrance assessment? Don't hold me back!" The handsome youth raised her head arrogantly and spoke. Her delicate features, fair skin, large eyes, and neat short hair all carried a faint pinkish-blue hue.

"Wang Dong, Soul Power Level twenty-one, two-ring Assault Type Soul Master."

Hearing this, the chubby boy named Zhao Haochen excitedly said, "My name is Zhao Haochen. My Martial Soul is Big Chicken Leg, and I'm a level fifteen Support Type Soul Master. Big Brother, I'll be relying on you for this assessment!"

"Huo Yuhao, Soul Power Level twelve. For now, I'm classified as an Agility Assault Type Soul Master," Huo Yuhao said calmly.

"???" Wang Dong and Zhao Haochen both turned to stare at him. "Level twelve? Isn't the admission standard level fifteen?"

The chubby boy asked in confusion, while Huo Yuhao merely shrugged and said nothing more.

He had only broken through to level twelve not long ago. And that was only because his cultivation speed had the benefit of the Heavenly Dream Brand Fully Automatic Cultivator running twenty-four hours a day without interruption.

It was much faster than the original owner's progress. At this point, the original owner had only been level eleven.

Wang Dong raised her brows. "Hmph. I don't care how you snuck in, but don't hold me back. Otherwise, you'll regret it!"

"Yeah, yeah, sure." Huo Yuhao nodded and responded perfunctorily.

"You!" Wang Dong might have been somewhat arrogant, but she could still tell good words from bad ones. Huo Yuhao was clearly brushing her off. Just as she was about to flare up, a voice rang out.

"Number thirty-one, Wang Dong. Number thirty-two, Huo Yuhao. Number thirty-three, Zhao Haochen. Prepare to enter the field for your assessment!" shouted the Shrek Academy senior serving as the examiner.

"Hmph. We'll see about that." Wang Dong led the way toward the examination field, with Huo Yuhao and Zhao Haochen following close behind. Without discussing any tactics at all, they stepped onto the battlefield for their first fight.

"He Hengan, level forty-five Defense Type Soul Master. Martial Soul: Gold Digging Armor." The examiner for Huo Yuhao's group was a tall, upright-looking man.

"Wang Dong, level twenty-one Assault Type Soul Master. Martial Soul: Light Goddess Butterfly!"

"Huo Yuhao, level twelve Agility Assault Type Soul Master. Martial Soul: Spirit Eyes." Huo Yuhao ultimately reported the name Spirit Eyes. No matter how flashy a Martial Soul's name was, it could not put food on the table. It was better to keep something hidden when possible.

"Zhao Haochen, level fifteen Support Type Soul Master. Martial Soul: Big Chicken Leg."

At the edge of the field, another examiner responsible for scoring lit a stick of incense. Then the battle officially began!